By Michael Newman

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This was an extremely difficult decision between two runners who had great seasons.

Jordan Harmon of Tolono Unity finished second in her first race of the season behind Danville’s Shanice Garbutt at the Kickapoo Kickoff Classic at the end of August. Harmon went undefeated winning six races including her last win at the Cumberland Invitational on October 7. A foot injury prevented her from running the next three meets. Harmon was not at 100% when she ran in the IHSA 1A State Meet. She finished 21^st overall helping Tolono Unity win their second state title in three years.

Emma Argo of Eureka did not have a strong start to her 2017 cross-country season finishing 16^th at the 1A First to the Finish Invitational, second at the Bureau Valley Invitational, and third at the East Peoria Invitational behind two 2A runners. She came on strong after that winning five of her next six races including the 1A Eureka Regional and the 1A Elmwood-Brimfield Sectional. Her state race was her best as she pulled away from Harvest Christian Academy’s Nygia Pollard in the final kilometer to capture the 1A Individual State Championship.

“I just wanted to be near the front among the leaders working hard trying to break away,” Argo said afterwards. “I never imagined this. It’s so amazing.”

We cannot change the fact that Harmon was injured and missed races heading into the state meet. The foot injury hurt her performance at state. At the same time, Harmon and Argo most likely would have challenging each other for the 1A state title. The two had not raced each other until the state race.

Both are juniors. Both will be back next fall challenging each other for the state title.

It was the end of the year races for Argo that clinched the 1A Runner of the Year including the state championship.

Congratulations to Emma Argo of Eureka High School as the 2017 ILXCTF.com 1A Girls Cross-Country Runner of the Year.